Clove's story!
by clovenhooves
Summary: This is Clove's view of the Hunger Games, please read and review! Thanks!
1. Chapter 1

Lucky I'm in love with my best friend? [Clove's Story]

This is my first Fanfiction, I hope you guys like it! I'm working on the next chapter, please, please, please review!

Thank you!

Chapter 1:

"We should go." I murmur. Cato smiles, "right you are, time for me to become the District two tribute!" I glare at him, "On second thought, let's stay." He chuckles and kisses me, "No, you're right Clove, let's go." I sigh and allow him to pull me to my feet and lead me into the street and towards the square. "Before you know it I'll be back to marry you and take you away to victor's village." He tries to calm me and it almost works. As soon as we reach the square we have to part, he cannot kiss me amid the cameras but we exchange a meaningful glace before I drift off to the space sectioned off for the 17 year olds and he to the 18 year olds. The other girls fear me and back away to give me space, they know that this reaping will be a sad one for me.

We listen to the mayor blather on until the effusive escort Geraldine Wish takes her place at the forefront of the stage. "Hello District two!" She trills," Happy Hunger Games, and May the odds be ever in your favor!" She waltzes up to the reaping ball for the boys, "Let's mix it up, shall we?" As she speaks I try to catch Cato's eye. He winks at me infuriatingly. Geraldine plunges her hand into the reaping ball. She draws a slip of paper and I don't even hear the name she calls because Cato yells over it, "I volunteer!" The camera's all pan to him and I feel an unfamiliar stab of jealousy. Geraldine beams at him as he makes his way towards the stage, "Wonderful! What's your name?" He mounts the stage and practically snarls, "I am Cato."

Geraldine smiles a little unsurely at him before tottering over to the girls reaping ball. I sigh; I suppose all I can hope for now is a weak female tribute and no volunteers. Geraldine pulls a name and reads it out. I gasp sharply, it is not a weak female, it is a female that could easily pose a threat to him, even kill him if she tried, I hide my emotions remembering that there are cameras abound. There will be time for them later, right now I have a job, and that job is to walk up towards the stage and pledge to kill my love. Geraldine smiles and rereads the name, "Clove Hathoway." I compose my face as much as I can and walk towards the stage. Cato is impassive. I stand next to him, my heart pounding, as the mayor speaks some more. As soon as he is done speaking I am escorted by peacekeepers towards the district hall. They lead me into a rich room and I am told to wait, visitors will be forthcoming.

Come they do, my mother, my father, some girls from school. They are terrified of me. They offer congratulations and reassurances as if they are walking on broken glass. However, I manage not to lash out at them. I smile icily and wave them away. I breathe a sigh of relief when the hour is up and I am escorted to the train. We eat a delicious meal and I smile and laugh on cue. As soon as Geraldine dismisses us I all but run back to my room and slump down on the bed. I have, thus far, spent the day with Cato and I haven't exchanged a word with him. I don't think I can, I all but moan in despair when I hear a light knock on my door. What else can they want from me? They have my heart, my life, and my happiness, can't I at least rest? I get up to answer the door; I have barely opened it when Cato rushes in, slams by door and grabs my wrists tightly before I can even speak. He pulls them to his chest like I am his prisoner. I growl at him, a feral snarl, and try to free myself but he has the advantage of size. He tightens his hold on me and spits in my face, "You are mine. You are mine before anyone else's, even before yourself." I stare at him blankly, trying to comprehend his words. Once I understand I nod, "Of course." He loosens his hold in surprise; he had not expected me to agree. I use this advantage to whip my wrists free of his hands and dart back a few paces, "And you're mine." He nods solemnly, "So what can we do?"

We talk for hours. One thing is glaringly apparent, we cannot kill each other. "We have to give them a good show." He tells me, "Maybe if the audience in entranced enough we will both be allowed to live." I laugh bitterly. Cato knows more about the Hunger Games than anyone I know; surely he cannot be so naive. "What?" He complains, "Do you have a better plan?" I almost smile for the first time since Geraldine read my name. "No." I admit. "But, we don't have to go into the arena with one. Let's win down to us and then see what happens." Cato smiles at me, kisses me, and gets up to leave. "Don't leave!" I cry almost hysterically. Cato smiles at me sadly, "I am not far away. See you in the morning, Clove." I get a firmer grip on myself and nod. I will see him in the morning. As long as I know that I will be alright.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2:

I sit as still as possible as my prep team gushes over me. I have always been conscious of my looks to a certain degree so I suppose I am cleaner that most tributes that they deal with. They fawn over my shiny, strait, black hair and coo over my smooth olive toned skin. "We have a fabulous idea!" They croon. "Just wait until we get your stylist in here, it's going to be magnifique!" I wonder if Cato is subjected to the same torture as I am. Probably not, Cato is so handsome; they probably don't even need to touch him. I try and smile sweetly at the prep team, as insufferable as they are it's crucial that they get this right; the crowd has to love Cato and me.

After what feels like ages my stylist finally makes an appearance. He beams at me, thankful, I suppose, that he doesn't have to dress a dirty, undersized tribute. He instructs me to close my eyes, I comply and I feel smooth fabric rustle over my skin. I open my eyes and a girl so beautiful it makes my heart stop looks back at me. My hair is silky and soft in smooth curls around my face, my skin is perfect with just a hint of pink in the cheeks, and my dress seems to be made completely out of pale grey silk. It fits my figure perfectly and the bottom is artfully ripped into strips. I look like a siren, dangerous but beautiful. I smirk, perfect. "I will make sure they keep wind on you at all times." My stylist tells me, demonstrating the effect he wants with a small fan. I nod and swallow all nerves. "Is it time to go yet."  
He smiles at me, "Yes it is, come along."

I meet Cato at the chariot, he is wearing a suit of the same fabric my dress is made of. He looks so strong. I would sponsor him. I want to hug him, kiss him, talk to him, at least touch him, but he shoots a fierce glare at me, reminding me that we are not lovers here. I glare back at him. Two can play at this game. Our stylists help us into our chariot. "Smile or growl," Hisses my stylist, "Just make an impression." I nod tersely, my angle is fierce and proud so I throw a mocking smile onto my face, raise my chin, and prepare to greet my fans.

Immediately I hear shouts of "District 2! Clove, Cato!" I smirk at the audience, sending them into an even greater excitement before. The promised wind is on me constantly, sending my dress and hair flying out around me, I feel like I'm flying. For a few moments it doesn't matter that this can only end in the death of my love or my own death. For a moment I am filled with nothing but exhilaration and drive. For the first time since I arrived in the square with Cato, I am happy. Suddenly the roaring crowd stops. I glare at them quizzically, what's wrong? I want them to cheer for me but they aren't even looking at me; they are transfixed by something far behind me. I crane my neck around to see what they are staring at. It's a girl, an insignificant girl from district 12. Not beautiful, not special, but radiantly shining. Fire wreaths around the girls neck and in her hair, I growl, a low and menacing sound. How dare she! How dare she steal my glory, how dare she try to take what is mine? I don't care if Cato won't talk to me in public, I lean over to him and imperceptibly I whisper, "She's first." Cato's thoughts seem to be in line with mine because he nods vigorously.

Once the chariots have stopped we stand and listen to President Snow. I don't even have to glance at the large TV screen to know that the cameras are all on the girl for District 12. This infuriates me to no end; if it wasn't for President Snow I am fairly certain I would tackle the girl, _Katniss. _As soon as President Snow is done talking we are wheeled back to our rooms. All the stylists are talking about the fire, all of the tributes are seething about it. As soon as we are away from the cameras Cato gives me a strong look. I glare at him and avert my eyes. I know that look. He can sense when my temper is about to get the better of me. He wants me to reign it in. "Save it for the arena." He mutters so only I can hear. I nod distractedly as if it is foolish of him to even suggest that I would do anything but. We arrive at the elevator before the other tributes. I press the button sporting a large number two. I wait for the door to close and for the elevator to begin its rise. Then I explode. "How could she! Oh, she will pay, as soon as I have my hands on those knives…" Cato lets me rant; he knows I will quiet faster if I'm left alone. For some reason this infuriates me more, I turn on him. "And you? Do you not see what she's done to us? She has stolen our sponsors." He starts to chuckle but the glare I give him is so ferocious that he quickly composes himself. "Oh Clove," he speaks with a trace of amusement in his voice, "She can't steal our sponsors if she's dead."

We say good night to each other and go into our separate rooms. I toss and turn, thinking of ways to kill the girl on fire. If because of her Cato and I have to struggle, even the tiniest bit, then she will rue the day of her birth. She is not worth loosing love. She is not worth anything. She's from District 12; I shouldn't even know her name. Cato's words resound in my head, I'm sure that they were meant to be comforting, but they only fuel my anger. He's right, there will be no sponsors lost after I send a perfectly aimed knife directly through her heart at the cornucopia. No one loves a dead girl.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3:

It feels so good to have my weapons back. I smile at the cool metal in my hand and with a quick flick of my wrist I send the knife through the practice dummy's heart. The trainer beams at me. Knives are so underrated. Cato and I have been arguing on and off for the past few years about that. Idiot's convinced that swords are where the real power is. I hope he's watching me now as I show off my prowess. I twirl the blade in my finger gracefully before sending it spiraling off into the head of the dummy the girl from District 1, Glimmer, is practicing on. She gasps and turns her head around to glare at me. I smile and wave at her. She looks indignant for a moment before returning to her work. I chuckle. Love me or hate me, Glimmer is going to have to obey me once we get into the arena. At least until I decide to slit her throat.

When we break for lunch Cato and I claim the largest table with the most food piled onto it. We talk in low voices, scrutinizing each tribute and eventually extending invitations for the worthy to sit with us. Not all deaths are equal after all. After we are all seated we strike up a conversation. I let Cato do most of the talking; he's more charismatic than I am. We talked about this earlier. He would make them talk, and I would learn as much information as I can about each of them. The more we knew, the better their deaths would be. I tried desperately to keep up with the stream of information that kept coming my way. Glimmer was vain and selfish, as far as I could tell, she liked herself and the fine goods her district was famous for producing. I glance over at Cato. By the way his mouth tightened when she spoke I could tell she was infuriating him. I smirked. Does anyone care if a girl is blonde and beautiful if she can't utter a sentence without making a fool of herself? I shake my shiny, dark ponytail and steal another glance at Cato. Surely he thinks I'm more beautiful than her? _Shh, of course he does._ I tell myself, and return my attention to the conversation.

By the time Cato and I return to the District Two floor I am confident I know my fellow careers as well as they know themselves. As I am about to step into my room Cato catches my shoulder. I whirl around, "Yes?" Cato fixes my with a searching expression, "Did you catch all of that." I smile tauntingly, "every word." Cato smiles and kisses me lightly on the cheek, just in case we're on camera. "Good night." I murmur. Cato looks at me, eyes filled with something like remorse, "Good night, Clove." As I slide into bed and begin to drift off, it occurs to me that his 'good night' sounded an awful lot like 'good bye'.

"Wake up, Clove! Wake up!" Geraldine Wish shouts in my ear. I struggle into a seated position and look around groggily. "Come on, come on! Today will be very busy; you have your session with the Game Makers!" I nod and murmur something incoherent and stumble to the shower. Once I have washed and dried my hair and tied it up in a slick ponytail atop my head I get dressed and head down to the area where the other tributes wait for their session with the game-makers. I watch as the District One tributes, Glimmer and a boy named Gore go in, and then as Cato goes in. I take deep breaths and sit with the other careers from District Four. Finally my name is called. I stand, nod to my table mates and head into the large room where the Game Makers wait for me.

They are all seated at a long table, eating and drinking. I am grateful that I live in District Two because the Game Makers are not yet so intoxicated that they don't even pay attention. I throw a smile towards the table and head straight to the knives. I choose some of the daintier ones. Quick as a whip I whirl around and send one hurtling at the wall just above the Game Maker's heads. I smile as it goes in so deep the blade becomes invisible, perfect. I send my next knife at the neck of one of the dummies, the head pops clean off. I see that I have the Game Makers attention now. I send two more knives into the stomachs of another dummy, then without even turning my head, I flick my final knife behind me. I can tell from the noise that it is lodged deeply into the wall. The Game Makers stare at me appreciatively. "Thank you, you may go." I smile, give a little bow, and exit the room assured that no tribute will be able to beat that display. Watch out Katniss Everdeen, your reign is over.

Cato and I are jittery to say the least. Our mentors and stylists sit around us as we all lean in towards the big television. They flash the scores for District One, both Glimmer and Gore do well. I nod. Good, they need to be strong enough to help us. Next comes Cato's score. I nine flashes up on the screen. I beam at him and smiles back at me. A nine is good; people will know how strong he is. I turn my attention back to the big screen just in time to see my score come up, a ten. I can hardly repress my glee. Cato shoots a look of irritation and infuriation at me but I don't care. Tens are very good, surely I have the highest score out of all twenty four tributes. My mentors congratulate me. I confess I don't pay much attention to all of the other tribute scores, I know none of them will be higher than me. I do, however, pay a bit of attention to the District Twelve scores. I need to be doubly sure that Katniss has been defeated before the games even begin. Her male counterpart's score is nothing to look twice at, just an eight. I sigh in relief. He looked like he could post a much greater threat then Katniss. I relax. I have won. Suddenly I hear the people around me. I jolt up and stare at the television just in time to see a huge eleven.

As soon as we say goodbye to our party Cato grabs my wrist tight enough to hurt and drags me to the elevator. As soon as the doors close and we are in private I let out a scream of anger and frustration. I try in vain to pull my hand away from Cato's iron grip but he refuses to let go. Once the elevator reaches our floor he drags me into my room and slams the door shut. "Let go of me." I spit at him. "Clove..." His voice is serious. No nonsense, don't do anything stupid. I glare at him, "Let me go." He sighs and drops my arm. I am surprised and a little at a loss of what to do. I had expected him to keep his hold firm; I hadn't really thought of what I would do if he obeyed me. I settle for collapsing onto my bed. "What the hell?" Cato sits next to me and pulls me close to his side. "Remember the plan Clove. You never miss. One of your knives will be with death of her before the people of the Capitol even have time to sponsor her." I don't allow myself to feel comforted, I'm too angry. I am shaking with rage when I reply, "I hate her so much." Cato smiles and kisses me, a real kiss, there are no cameras here. He whispers, "Be calm now, save all of this fire for when you send a knife through her heart. Save it for a time when you can show her who the real 'Girl on Fire' is. I nod, suddenly deflated. Cato smiles, "see, relax, it will be alright, sleep now and prepare to show her up at the interviews tomorrow. "Good Night, Cato." I murmur. "Sleep Well, Clove."

Tonight it is me who seems to be saying goodbye.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4:

My mentor is a young woman named Kauri. She is only 20 so I remember her victory well. That year had been almost boring; it was so obvious that she was a champion. I admired her greatly and as she talked to me about my angle for the interviews I hung on her every word. "What kind of angle are you going for?" She asked me. "I am a warrior." I replied simply. She smiled knowingly, "That was my tactic too and it will serve you well" I nodded. I remembered her interview, she had frightened the crowd into silent admiration and I aimed to have the same effect.

Kuari and I finish early, there is little to discuss. "Go and eat something, interviews begin in a few hours." I nod to her, "Thanks Kuari." She smiles at me and I turn to leave. Suddenly, so fast I have no time to react, a hand grabs my arm and a mouth appears at my ear. Kuari whispers darkly, "You're smart Clove, too smart to let the beguiling charms of your fellow tribute distract you." I try to turn to face her but her arm forces me to stay in place. I whisper back, "Cato? No, it's not like that—"She cuts me off, "Clove, be sensible, this is the Hunger Games. Cato is fighting to stay alive, fighting to kill you." I shake my head wildly, refusing to hear what she is saying to me. Cato loves me; he has loved me since we were children. "No, it's not like that!" Kuari's grip tightens, "Don't do anything stupid Clove; in the arena you can trust no one but yourself. You must always have a plan; I can assure you that Cato will." With that, as abruptly as she had grabbed me, she let me go and closed the door. For a moment I was frozen, my mind swirling with the seed of doubt that Kuari had placed.

"So Clove," Ceaser Flickman begins. "Tell us about yourself." I smile secretively in response and glance at my dress. My stylist had not abandoned the siren look. My dress is like a grey ocean and my hair, piled elaborately on top of my head, is so shiny it looks wet. "What is there to say Ceaser, doesn't my interview score speak for its self?" I raise my eyebrows slightly. Ceaser beams at me, "Oh yes, oh yes! You did extraordinarily well! Do you think that this is an adequate representation of how you will do in the games?" I laugh a cold, icy laugh. "Oh Ceaser," I chuckle again, "between you and me, I was holding back a bit during my session." Ceaser laughs with me, "Well ladies and gentlemen, I think you'll agree that Miss Clove Hathoway is quite the warrior! I certainly would sponsor her!" I smile patronizingly at Ceaser and reply, "I promise you that that will prove to be a good investment."

The interviews of the other tributes have little to no effect on me. The girl from five might be clever enough to pose a slight challenge, the girl from eleven will be easy prey, and the girl from twelve, Katniss, well, I hate her even more than I did before. I pay slightly more attention to the boy from twelve, Peeta's, interview because he is almost as big as Cato. He jokes, he smiles, and he steals our sponsors. Infuriating but not overly threatening. I can feel Cato relax beside me and I in turn let myself relax.

I should have learned from a few nights ago when I let my guard down with District 12.

"I don't think that that will work in my case," Peeta is telling Ceaser about something silly. A girl he likes or something. One moment I am trying to tune out his silly little problems, and then the next everything is wrong. "Because she came here with me." I gasp and Cato stiffens. It only took six words to rip the little that was left of my world apart. I know I should be angry because this will win them many sponsors but only one though enters my mind. 'That could have been Cato and I.'

This time as we return to the elevator I have to marshal my anger. Cato and I are not supposed to be in love. We shouldn't be in love. According to Kuari we might not even be in love. My head is spinning as I think over all that has happened. Cato is silent at my side until we reach the elevator. As soon as we are alone he grabs me and kisses me fiercely. I kiss him back and try to banish what Kuari has placed in my mind. She doesn't know anything about Cato and me. Once the elevator stops he whispers, "I am so sorry Clove." I am confused for a moment. "Sorry?" He sighs, "Sorry I didn't think of that. If only I had figured it out I could have beat District 12 to it." I sigh and manage a weary smile, "No one could have seen that coming. The girl was so shocked I almost think even she didn't know." Cato nods and murmurs, "It won't matter tomorrow though. They'll be dead and we'll be on our way to—" I cut him off before he can finish, "victory, we'll be victors." Cato nods, kisses me, and turns to leave.

I take a shower, dry my hair, change my clothes and sink into the downy cavern of pillows that is my bed. To my surprise, I fall asleep almost immediately; dreams of District Two and Cato swirl through my mind. I am so safe. The next thing I know I am being shaken vigorously by a very tight lipped avox. She cannot speak but I can see in her eyes that I have to get up now. I nod and prepare. I wash and dry my hair, fastening the strait dark locks into my signature high ponytail and follow the avox out of my room and up onto the roof. Everything is silent until we reach the hovercraft where I am frozen to the ladder of the craft while my tracker is injected into my arm. As soon as I am released I clamber into the luxurious craft and settle next to my stylist into a chair. He hasn't made much of an impression on me so we do not speak until we are in the room underneath the arena. Wordlessly, as if he is the nervous one and not I he hands me my clothing. I change into it (hunting boots, black jacket; looks like we have a forest) and adjust my hair. My stylist urges me to eat something and I obey shoveling food and water into my mouth even though I know that I will have the entire cornucopia in a matter of hours.

Finally the announcement is made and I step onto my plate. My stylist presses something into my hand, it's a delicate ring encrusted with diamonds, my mother's engagement ring. "She sent this for you." He murmurs. Suddenly for the first time I feel like crying. Does my one family doubt my unfaultable skill? My mother must truly be sure that I will never return because that was the ring she meant for my marriage to Cato.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5:

I slip the ring onto my finger, nod to my stylist, and prepare myself mentally for the coming carnage. Soon enough the plate begins to rise and before I know it I am gazing out over fields and woods. Directly in front of me is the cornucopia and behind that there is a large lake. I smile, the terrain is perfect. I make eye contact with Cato and he nods tersely. We have discussed our plan already and we have it almost perfectly synchronized. "Ladies and gentlemen! Welcome to the 74th Hunger Games!"

As soon as the gong sounds I shoot forward and make it to the cornucopia first. Immediately I grab onto a set of knives, twirl around and begin the slaughter. I have shot down several tributes before noticing Katniss and another boy fighting over a backpack. Katniss. My vision tints with hate. She must die, she must die. I shoot for the boy first and kill him before aiming a fatal hit at Katniss. Hatred makes me clumsy and I miss the stupid girl's neck and lodge the knife in her backpack instead. I dart forward to attack her but someone grabs my arm I whirl around, knife held aloft to see Cato. "Not now, Clove, we'll hunt her later." I glare at him but I know that he is right. I yank my arm away from him and turn my attention back to the battle. Many tributes are dead or dying, the only ones left are my allies and, inexplicably, Peeta. The boy from District Four has him at sword point. The boy turns his head to Cato and I, "Kill him?" Cato nods but suddenly a thought slips into my head. "No! Wait." The boy immediately turns to fix me with a questioning look. I had the highest training score out of the group which commands me a certain amount of respect. "Don't kill him. He might know where she is." I explain. Cato shoots Peeta an incredulous glance. "He looks pretty stupid to me, what if he doesn't know anything?" He asks. Glimmer rejoins, "What if he betrays us to the girl?" I shake my head, "I will make him suffer greatly at any infraction." Cato still looks unconvinced, but the other careers nod and lower their weapons. Peeta jumps up from the ground and grins at me, "Thanks!" I laugh cruelly and step closer to Cato, "Don't have any allusions, Lover Boy; as soon as you cease to be of use to us you shall meet the same end as your girlfriend will when we find her." Peeta pales at this and Cato chuckles softly.

We sort everything in the cornucopia. I take all the knives, Marvel, the boy from District One, lays a claim the spears, Cato gathers the swords and Glimmer takes a fine bow and arrow. I make Marvel ration out a spear to Peeta, the boy from District Four, and the girl from District Four, the more expendable members of our tenuous alliance. Once we are finished setting up camp Cato pulls me to the side. "Walk with me." He murmurs. I nod and follow him. At first we talk about the present, how we should kill the boy from four before hunting, what we should carry in our packs, things that may be life and death for others but mean little to us. Finally we talk of what really matters, the future. "Clove, I love you, I will die for you." I am initially touched by this gesture. I open my mouth to tell him so, but I am cut off by the arrival of a silver parachute. I smile and open it, inside there is some food and medicine. At first I am puzzled by this gift, we have the cornucopia, why do we need this? Suddenly something catches my eye, nestled in between a pot of broth and some bandages lays a syringe and a tiny bottle of poison. Kuari's message is obvious. It's a reminder. Her words sound in my head, 'Cato is fighting to stay alive, fighting to kill you.' This gift rattles me, I don't point the bottle out to Cato, I smile and tell him we shouldn't worry yet, I pick up the box and motion back to camp, and I try to force the thoughts that bubble in my mind to disappear.

As we prepare to leave I motion to the boy from four. He is completely expendable, we don't need him. Cato nods. I slip out the bottle of poison and dip the tip of a knife into it. With one flick of my wrist the boy from District Four is dead. Glimmer, Marvel, Peeta, and the boy's district partner turn to stare at me like they can't believe what I did so nonchalantly. Cato laughs, "Welcome to the Hunger Games." I add, "I hope the odds are more in your favor than they were for him." Glimmer shivers slightly; there is fear in her eyes. I smile broadly, "Let's hunt."

Glimmer grabs her arrows, I arrange my knives, Cato takes a sword, and Marvel, Peeta, and the girl from four grab a spear. It's time to take out some tributes. Cato and I take the lead, we make Peeta walk behind us, and Marvel takes up the rear. I don't like the dark, though I'll never admit it. Cato knows this and pulls me close to him as we walk. "You're safe." He tells me, to quiet for those behind us to hear. I chuckle, "Do the other tributes trying to kill us know that?" Cato smiles sinisterly and replies, "They're about to find out."

"Hey!" Glimmer calls, "Look over there!" We turn to see a fire glowing in the distance. I smile, "Hello Victim Number One!" The foolish tribute is far away so by the time we reach the place where Glimmer saw the glow the fire has dimmed and the tribute, a girl, is asleep. "I'll kill her." Cato smirks. Merrily he plunges his sword into her stomach, we move away from the girl so the hovercraft can pick her up. "I didn't hear the cannon go off." Someone remarks. Cato replies irately, "She's dead, don't worry." I glance at the girl. "You," I point at Peeta, "Go check." He nods and goes to finish off the poor girl. I turn to my allies. "We should kill him." Cato says flatly. "No." I hiss, "Not until I've questioned him." Cato sighs, "Get on and question him then, I want him gone." "I will, I will." I snap. He recoils almost unnoticeably from my irritated tone. Peeta returns just as a cannon goes off. "Was she dead?" I ask. "No, but she is now." He tells me, subdued. So lover boy isn't a killer? Interesting. "Let's keep moving!" Marvel urges. I nod and whisper "The more deaths the better." We resume our trek in the same order as before. Cato leans in towards me as we walk and whispers, "You seem awfully ready to get down to the final two." I nod and keep my expression neutral. Suddenly what he is saying registers in my mind. He is suggesting that I seem excited to kill him. "What are you playing at?" I hiss at him. He smiles, kisses me quickly so the cameras won't see and murmurs, "Oh Clove, I keep no secrets from you." I nod and stare into the darkness, Kuari's words playing over and over in my head.

'You must always have a plan; I can assure you that Cato will.'


	6. Chapter 6

When we get back to the camp Cato and I ration out duties. We set Glimmer and Marvel on sorting out food and we put the District Four girl, who irately informs me that her name is Clarissa, and Peeta on setting up tents. "What are you going to do?" Marvel asks me insolently. My eyes freeze over as I fix him with a frigid glare, "Decide how long you're use will last." I whirl around, sleek ponytail bouncing as I stalk away. I don't know what's making me so irritable. Maybe it's the cold dawn air, maybe it's the fact that we couldn't find Katniss, but I think that it's probably Cato's words that are gnawing at my brittle heart.

I hear footsteps behind me as I'm heading off towards the lake. I whirl around to snap before realizing that it is only Cato. I spin back around and continue stalking off. Cato is about twice my size and his long strides keep pace with me easily. "Forget 'Girl on Fire!'," Cato begins teasingly, "What's gotten you iced over?" His banter touches me. Ever since we last spoke at this lake he's been careful not to give the cameras more hints about our relationship. Granted, 'Clove, I love you and I will die for you." Was fairly explicit but I think that Cato got careless and is trying to be extra careful. Nonetheless, though, he breaks his stony career façade to try and cheer me up. I giggle, breaking the ice.

Suddenly a crazy idea occurs to me. I know that Cato would never agree if I told him so I decide to go ahead with it. "This is stupid!" I blurt out, exasperatedly. Cato's look of surprise spurs me onwards; I know that every television set in Panem must display my face now. "The damn District 12 tributes have gotten us afraid of our own shadows!" Cato still doesn't get it, or maybe he does but isn't ready to show it yet. "I love you, and you love me, and just because Lover Boy beat us to the confession does not make it any less real. We don't need all of the glitz of 'Star Crossed Lovers', I don't care if we never get another Sponsor, I just want to spend all of the time I have left with you." It's a long speech for me, and I stumble several times but by the end Cato has picked up on what I'm playing. His gaze is full of adoration, part fiction and part fact. Cato would never look at me with that mushy gaze, that one's for the cameras, but when he speaks I know that he isn't acting. "I thought you'd never say so."

Then he kisses me, our first real kiss since I was reaped. Even though I know that cameras are trained on my face I feel safe, it's almost like having Cato back. The illusion is shattered though, by a loud thump. We break apart and turn to see a large box, wrapped in silver paper. "I guess the Panem isn't too mad that we lied," I say innocently. Cato chuckles, "You're cute when you try to act innocent." He kisses me on the forehead and then turns his attention to the silver box. He tears into it and lifts the lid off. I gasp like a little girl at what's inside. There are two weapons, each deadlier that the last. Cato immediately grabs the one clearly meant for him. It's a cruel steel sword, finer than anything he's ever held, even back in District 2. I only spend a few seconds on his gift before descending to examine mine.

It's long, as knives go, and I can tell by looking at it that it is a work of art. The knife is unadorned by any embellishments but I can feel in the material and see in the precision of the blade that this is a special gift. I leap to my feat, eager to try it out. It is Cato who laughs and holds me back. "Slow down," He chuckles. "What?" I ask petulantly, he smiles and leans in to kiss me again, "We have to find a target first." I am about to retort when suddenly I find my mouth very busy. When he comes up for air a question bubbles in my mind, "Cato?" I ask, eyes wide. "Yes?" I look down for a moment, feign sheepishness, "You don't think Glimmer is prettier than me, do you?"

We are so caught up in each other and our new strategy that we don't notice our quarry until it's too late. Cato says I have eyes in the back of my head but I swear that it comes from the years of training. I can always feel eyes on me and now is no exception. I twirl around and fling my knife while Cato is still trying to figure out what happened. I curse loudly when I see my knife stick in a tree trunk, with a tuft of ginger hair stuck to it. Cato has caught up and he breaks out into a sprint. It's that girl from five, the crafty one. As Cato runs after her I ponder just how clever. Did she hear anything, how much has she guessed? I am frustrated with myself for letting her slip past my blade and as soon as I see Cato remerging from the woods, devoid of the fox faced girl. He retrieves my knife for me and hands it over. I sigh, "I didn't sense her until too late." Cato merely laughs at me, "Oh well, it's her loss, a knife to the heart would have been quick, now I fear we'll have to make her suffer."

For the first time in my life I wonder if there might be something wrong with children killing each other.


End file.
